Monthly Archives: September 2015

Another victory in the movement for a $15/hour minimum wage! The University of Washington will raise the wages of all workers, including student workers, to $15 by 2017.

The University of Washington is the biggest employer in Seattle, but UW was refusing to follow the citywide minimum wage law passed in June 2014 until Reclaim UW, a coalition of student groups and labor unions, organized to pressure the administration.

Last year, Northeastern University in Boston passed a student-led referendum supporting $15/hour for all campus workers. Both victories highlight what can be achieved when campus workers, labor and students organize for their right to a living wage.

Our work doesn’t stop here. UW says the change will affect 5,500 workers, including about 3,500 student workers on the Seattle campus. We still need to fight to make sure UW follows through on $15/hr for all UW workers, and to grow the movement on campuses nationwide!

*Workers, supporters call on Democratic presidential candidates to take up calls in the Fight for $15!*

Minneapolis, Minn — On Friday, August 28th, outside of the Hilton in Minneapolis where Hilary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and other Democratic presidential hopefuls spoke at the convention for the Democratic National Committee, community members with 15Now Minnesota rallied to demand that the candidates and the Democratic National Committee officially endorse a $15 minimum wage across the country.

Workers and community members came together as part of the #MPLSWorks campaign to call for $15 minimum wage, paid sick time, fair scheduling and rules to end wage theft in Minneapolis. (Sign the petition, http://mplsworks.org/ ).As a result of workers building pressure through mass demonstrations for $15/hour, the Democratic Party adopted

We know that $15/hour is on the agenda because of workers organizing across the country, and we know it will take a movement of thousands, building pressure from below, to win.

Minnesota has some of the worst racial economic disparities in the country, but the divides we face are a national problem. Structural racism has led to drastic racial income inequality. Far too many people, especially people of color, are earning less than a living wage. The presidential candidates must address our racial economic inequality crisis as a central part of their campaigns.